CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 22: Pete Crow-Armstrong #4 of the Chicago Cubs and fans react to a run against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field on September 22, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Josh Hader’s recent collapse against the Mariners illustrates just how shaky the Astros bullpen is heading into the postseason, writes Chandler Rome at The Athletic.
Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo threw a bullpen session yesterday and was feeling good enough that the team thinks he could be back for the postseason.
This is not surprising but good confirmation to have.
Dan Szymborski at Fangraphs did yet another statistical analysis on whether participation in the World Baseball Classic impacts regular season performance.
In recent years, it’s been extremely rare for a player who qualifies for the batting average title to go homerless in a season. Yet, the Rays’ Chandler Simpson is on track to do just that, writes Davy Andrews at Fangraphs.
Yes, pitchers really are throwing harder than they ever have before.
We need more Joey Vottos on television.
"The guy that used to hit .300, I'm sorry to tell you, is going to hit .240, .250 today. It just is what it is."@JoeyVotto breaks down why the league does not have more players like Luis Arraez and explains how baseball's evolution has led to that trend. pic.twitter.com/3C5fEUsv1s
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 9: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against the Miami Heat during the second half in their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on April 9, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have high expectations. Immanuel Quickley could be the most important player in their quest to make a deep playoff run. Here are three reasons why:
Explosive Three-point Shooter
Among the litany of reasons why the 2018-19 roster was perfectly crafted to optimize Kawhi Leonard, none was arguably more important than the spacing he was provided on the offensive end. The Raptors finished with the sixth-best three-point percentage (36.6) and made the seventh-most three-pointers (1,015) that season.
Leonard was surrounded by capable shooters in Kyle Lowry (34.7 per cent), Danny Green (45.5 per cent), Pascal Siakam (36.9 per cent), and Marc Gasol (44.2 per cent). Norman Powell (40.0 per cent) and Fred VanVleet (37.8 per cent) were also blistering options off the bench.
Last season, Toronto finished 21st in three-point percentage. Quickley was undoubtedly the most prolific marksman in the starting lineup (37.4 percent) and the best volume shooter on the roster (2.5 threes made on 6.8 attempts).
With RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl expected to join Quickley and Leonard as projected starters, it’s paramount that Quickley becomes the elite knockdown shooter that he’s capable of being.
New Role, Better Fit
Quickley’s two full seasons in Toronto have differed in terms of on-ball responsibilities. In 2024-25, the point guard nearly matched the career-high in usage he set during his rookie year with the New York Knicks. But last year, playing alongside Brandon Ingram, the evolving Barnes, and the bulldozing Barrett, Quickley recorded a usage rate of 21.1, his lowest since 2022-23.
With Leonard incoming, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Quickley’s recent usage remain the status quo. During two of his best seasons as a pro with the Knicks, Quickley was assisted on 73 per cent of his made threes. He’s always been an electric catch-and-shoot player with dangerous range.
Quickley has undoubtedly grown as a pick-and-roll threat, and that part of his game will still be relied on. Lowry and VanVleet were often asked to run off the offence in extended spurts during the championship run. But if Quickley can consistently make teams pay off-ball, it’ll go a long way in supporting Leonard.
The right side of the ball
While Pat Beverley was telling a story about Leonard on a podcast, he offered some insight into the champion’s mindset. In response to the coaching staff asking him to switch on defence for a specific sequence, Beverley recalled Leonard saying: “If he can’t guard, then why is he in the game?”
The 2019 roster was arguably one of the greatest defensive teams of all-time. While this year’s roster has a few elite (yet growing) defensive minds, it also houses a few question marks. During the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers relentlessly attempted to hunt Barrett on switches. Teams are expected to try that with Quickley. To his credit, Quickley has been solid on the defensive side, particularly with his effort level and fight through screens. If Quickley can hold his own on a nightly basis, it’ll be a huge win for Toronto.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Willson Contreras #40 of Team Venezuela warms up during batting practice before the game against Team Italy at loanDepot park on March 16, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Red Sox begin the postseason on Tuesday and have scored just 5 runs over the last 5 games. In other words, now would be a great time for the team’s best offensive contributor to return to a lineup that desperately needs a spark. But unless a miracle happens over the weekend, things aren’t looking good. Willson Contreras took batting practice on Tuesday, only for his hand injury to worsen in the subsequent days. He’s still struggling to grip a bat and admitted to tearing up out of frustration. “I’m doing everything that I can to come back and play with the boys and be there with the boys,” he said. “But sometimes you have to listen to your body.” (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
At least Ceddanne Rafaela has returned. He should be able to give a little lift for the lineup, though he does present a conundrum for Chad Tracy, as the Sox now have too many outfielders and DHs to fit into the lineup at once. With Roman Anthony, Rafalea, and Wilyer Abreu essentially locked into starting spots, Tracy has to decide whether to prioritize Duran’s glove and legs over the platoon DH production of Mickey Gasper and Jahmai Jones. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
And all of this is occuring against the backdrop of this weekend’s storm. And if you think we’re done dealing with that now that MLB has moved Sunday’s game to today, we’re not. There is still a possibility that one or more of this weekend’s games is moved to Tropicana Field in St. Pete. (Conor Ryan, Boston.com)
With the depressing news about Contreras, the team could probably use a pep talk. If so, Pedro Martinez — as someone who still believed in this team in the darkness of May — is available. “I just feel good about approaching the Yankees this time around. And [the Red Sox] are young, yes. We don’t have the highest expectations about them, but man, for some reason, I just feel so positive,” said the right arm of God. “I just feel so excited that this young group of guys that we have out there are able to do something special. I don’t see anything wrong with these kids, and I don’t see why they shouldn’t give everybody knuckles. Not just the Yankees, but everybody.” (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
If the Sox are going to give everybody knuckles, then Ranger Suarez is probably going to be a part of it. The offseason signing has an outstanding postseason resume, and his final 2026 stats are more or less in line with the numbers he’d been putting up in Philadelphia, even if he sounds slightly disappointed in his performance. “Obviously I think I could have done better,” he said of his season. “But I was happy I was able to finish the season strong.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
For the first time, the Sixers are set to host the team’s annual Blue-White scrimmage at their NBA home.
The Sixers announced Friday that they’ll hold their 2026 Blue-White scrimmage at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Oct. 3 at 12 p.m. ET.
The Sixers will require a $10 donation to the Sixers Youth Foundation for admission to the scrimmage. The team “will also donate 5,000 tickets to Sixers Youth Foundation grantees and local youth organizations and community partners.”
According to the Sixers’ press release, “a limited number of seats will be available to Society 76 Members via a special presale starting at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, with the balance of available ticket inventory reserved for the general public on-sale. Tickets will be available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 3 p.m. here on Monday, Sept. 28.”
The scrimmage had been at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Delaware in recent years. The venue hosts the Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats. It’s a much smaller, more intimate setting than Xfinity Mobile Arena. The scrimmage has generally been a rather casual event under head coach Nick Nurse, though Joel Embiid’s on-court action was a notable aspect last year as he worked his way back from left knee surgery.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 24: Jose Ramirez #11 and Angel Martinez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrate the win over the of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on September 24, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Cleveland Guardians secured a spot in the 2026 playoffs with the win over the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians celebrated a playoff berth last night with a 1-0 win over the Red Sox, but the White Sox beat the Royals so Cleveland’s division lead remains one game with three to play.
Zack Meisel wrote a fun article with different player’s perspectives on the journey to the playoffs.
The Astros and Rangers both won last night. I would say the Astros have the advantage to win the division because they have three left with the Athletics and Texas has three against the Twins.
The Padres have 89 wins, the Cubs 88, and the Phillies 87 heading into the final series of the season. The Diamondbacks are teetering on the edge of elimination with 85 wins. The Phillies hold the tiebreaker over the Padres and the Cubs hold the tiebreaker over the Padres and Phillies. The six seed in the NL will play Atlanta.
Heading into the final weekend of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, two divisions are still up for grabs and there's chaos in the National League wild card race.
Entering Friday's games, the Cleveland Guardians have a one-game lead on the Chicago White Sox (who have clinched at least a wild-card spot) in the American League Central, while the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are tied at 79-80 atop the AL West, with Houston holding the tiebreaker.
In the NL wild card, the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies are just about locked in for the three spots – but it's wide-open as to where the trio will finish in the standings. The Padres enter Friday with the best record of the three.
The MLB playoffs get underway on a Tuesday, Sept. 29 with quadruple-header featuring four wild card series games. The best-of-five division series begins Saturday, Oct. 3.
Here's the latest look at the postseason bracket and standings:
Entering play Friday, Sept. 25
MLB playoff bracket 2026
#-division champion; *clinched at least a wild card spot
Mercedes teammate takes pole by 0.837 from Leclerc
Kimi Antonelli was left ruing an uncharacteristic error in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix which eliminated the championship leader in the first session after he hit a wall in Baku. His Mercedes teammate George Russell claimed pole with a fine lap and will be in a strong position to make up ground in the title chase in Saturday’s race.
Antonelli leads Russell by 81 points in the world championship and has won the last two races but sat disconsolately trackside after only 11 minutes of running on Friday in Baku, when he was a little too eager into the 90-degree left-handed turn one and clipped the barrier.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 24: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a single against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field on September 24, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, LSB.
The Rangers bounced back with a series salvaging and perhaps season salvaging win over the Mets.
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 17: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates during the game after scoring the game winning basket against the Denver Nuggets on March 17, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Can basketball make you happier?
There’s only a few times in life, maybe a handful if you’re lucky, where the elation of the moment transforms into pure joy. The birth of a child. The time you won the national championship as a teenager. That time when you hiked Mount Shasta and felt the euphoria of life rushing through you.
For some of us, that includes the wonderful spring of 2024 when Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks all the way through the playoffs to the Finals.
Before the playoffs that year, people said the Mavs weren’t good enough. They said Kyrie was washed, that he was a locker room cancer. They said Luka was too fat, too injured, too bad on defense. They said the roster couldn’t compete with the best. But we proved them all wrong. We went almost all the way. All we needed was another year.
The beautiful thing about fandom and sports is that we get to belong somewhere, to something bigger than us. We made it, we proved them wrong. We just needed another year.
DALLAS, TX – MAY 26: Kyrie Irving #11 embraces Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 26, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Well, none of us touched that court, none of us made a basket, none of us led the league in scoring. But we played our part, we all tell ourselves and smile, because we know that a fanbase can affect the energy of a team. And the energy of a team can affect winning directly.
Kyrie Irving felt that energy. Do you think he would have stuck around and settled in Dallas the way he has if he didn’t feel welcomed and appreciated? From staff and leadership to the players and all the way to the fanbase. Do you think Kyrie Irving would have stayed when the past regime traded a guy he called his brother, if he was unsure about the support he had?
Do you think he would have stayed through injury if he didn’t know the fanbase had his back and already considered him a legend for what he had done for the Dallas Mavericks franchise?
In order to thrive as a player, in order to perform up to your very best and stick to it through adversity, you need to feel safe. And to get there, you need a little something called trust. A word we throw around way too much, claiming this team has trust, this team needs it, we have a focus on trust on our team.
But real trust comes from consistency. From not leaving when things are hard and from the energy you approach a situation or a team with.
Kyrie Irving has settled in a way in Dallas that he never has before in his career. Sure, he’s won a Championship and was already a legend before even stepping foot on the Mavs.
But in Dallas, he found something we’ve never really seen him achieve to this degree. Peace. It’s been talked about a lot since his first season here, but that doesn’t make it any less relevant.
BROOKLYN, NY – FEBRUARY 24: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks smiles during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In Dallas, Kyrie Irving has come into himself. He has become the man and the role model he seemed to work towards becoming, but the trust and sense of safety and belonging that he found in Dallas enabled him to move beyond the drama that had followed him up until then.
Much to the credit of both the local media, which approached him without the bias he was used to, and especially the fanbase.
The Dallas Mavericks fanbase loved Kyrie from day one. The energy from the fans, the support and the embrace he received was beautiful to watch.
In the beginning, the Luka fans-Kyrie Fans feud was a little weird to witness, but soon most realized that the two of them were not competitors, they were each other’s biggest fans. And so Kyrie settled down in Dallas, safe in the knowledge that he was supported even through mistakes. That’s how you create trust, by the way. And a winning culture.
And as Kyrie is looking almost better than ever to start this season, the infectious energy surrounding him reminds us of the good old days.
By sticking around through the bad and the ugly the last few seasons, Kyrie is reciprocating a gift to the fanbase.
Every time we see him, he reminds us of the joy we used to feel before those bad days. It is the gift of excitement. The gift of belief. The gift of being allowed to reminisce.
The gift Kyrie received from the fanbase when he arrived in Dallas, the gift of trust and support, that’s the gift he is giving back in kind right now.
Because the joy we lost is slowly returning. And once again, it is Kyrie Irving, who is the catalyst. Can basketball make you happier? Kyrie Irving can.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made many roster moves on Thursday, now that their NHL pre-season has concluded. Ahead of their trip to Arizona for some off-ice bonding, the team sent down several players, rounding out the roster for opening night on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Among that bunch was Maple Leafs prospect and 19-year-old center Tinus Luc Koblar. Koblar was returned to the SHL and will be with Rogle for the 2026-27 season. The SHL regular season has already kicked off, with Rogle off to a 1-2-0 start after the first three outings.
Koblar being sent back to the SHL leads to some questions about how he performed at training camp, especially considering he was eligible to be assigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies for this season.
There is a rule that prevents 19-year-olds from playing in the American League unless they are a first-round pick. Koblar was selected in the second round of the 2025 draft. However, that ruling only applies to players who were drafted by major junior teams, and Koblar has only played in Europe to this point in his young hockey career.
At any rate, that decision should echo the type of training camp the youngster had in Toronto.
In terms of the pre-season action that anyone could see him in, he played in two of the two possible games.
His first game was at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday against the Canadiens. He had a minus-one rating and played 11:29 of ice time in that contest, playing the role of the fourth-line center and getting time on the second power-play unit.
In the second game, against the Ottawa Senators, at the Canadian Tire Centre, he had a minus-one rating again and logged 15:39 of ice time.
In other words, his performance in the pre-season wasn't anything to write home about, but nothing concerning either. But with that in mind, it's also not the full picture of NHL training camp.
What could carry more weight in the ultimate decision to send him back to Sweden is how he practised with the team, and in my eyes, there's definitely room for improvement. And that's the case with any young player, but this is what I gathered from the sessions in between the pre-season appearances.
Koblar skated with Group 2 throughout training camp. He was given an opportunity to play alongside some solid players, including Brendan Brisson and Vinni Lettieri, as well as power-play reps. The coaching staff made an effort to put him in a comfortable situation.
But from my perspective, and seeing every day of training camp, something was missing from the Norwegian.
At times, he stuck out like a sore thumb, either because of his still-developing skating ability or because he hadn't played much hockey in North America before this training camp. Whatever it was, it was evident in certain drills.
There was one part of a drill where Koblar was supposed to skate behind the net to pick up a puck from head coach Jim Hiller, but he had gotten a little lost for a split second, enough for the coach to tell him where to go in the middle of the action.
Once he got to the right spot behind the net, he couldn't fully control the puck, adding a few more seconds to his rep. He then grabbed whatever puck was nearby and went through the motion of the drill, finding a teammate waiting in front of the net to receive a pass from him.
It was just one niche moment of training camp and pre-season, a time to shake off the rust, but it was an awkward instance that Hiller had a premium view of.
There was a sense of Koblar being uncomfortable or not fitting in. Make no mistake, he competed and worked hard all training camp. But that altercation - as well as being a newcomer to the group, a 19-year-old, and not having much experience playing in North America - resulted in a camp that Koblar probably believes he could've done better.
Between the uncommon moments, Koblar showed signs of growth and potential to be a great player. Though his skating isn't the final form that it needs to be, it has improved from years prior. He also has a powerful shot and does utilize his 6-foot-3 frame to his advantage, especially along the walls.
Ultimately, Koblar is still a young, developing player, and there isn't immediate pressure for him to be an automatic difference-maker in the Maple Leafs' system.
He'll almost certainly get at least a spot on the Marlies next season when he's 20, and maybe an opportunity to challenge for an NHL roster spot in 2027-28, but who knows what the organization will look like then, or if Koblar is even still a member of the Maple Leafs.
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The Yankees will host the Wild Card Series starting next Tuesday -- likely against the Red Sox -- but there are plenty of question marks surrounding the team's roster heading into the postseason.
From potential returns to fringe players, manager Aaron Boone and the rest of the organization will have their work cut out for them to figure out the ideal 26-man roster going into the three-game series.
The Yanks still have three games against the Orioles this weekend, and while they are not playing for anything, they will look to rest starters, overworked bullpen arms, and even try out players at different positions to give them some versatility.
Going into our predicted roster, we're going to assume everyone stays healthy and the team will go up against the rival Red Sox...
Starting Pitchers (3)
Cam Schlittler: RHP Max Fried: LHP Gerrit Cole: RHP
This is the easiest prediction, as Boone has pretty much spelled out that Schlittler, Fried, and Cole will take the mound in the three-game series. Now the order can be debated -- we'd go with the obvious Schlittler-Fried-Cole order -- but saving Schlittler to either save the Yankees' season or close out the series is not a bad idea.
Bullpen (9)
David Bednar: RHP Brent Headrick: LHP Paul Blackburn: RHP Tim Hill: LHP Will Warren: RHP John Schreiber: RHP Ryan Yarbrough: LHP Carlos Rodon: LHP Carlos Lagrange: RHP
Here's where things can get interesting.
GM Brian Cashman didn't acquire a reliever at the deadline, as the price was too steep -- according to him -- and the plan always seemed to move one, two, or three of their starters to the 'pen once Cole, Fried, and Rodon came back from injury.
The combination of Warren and Ryan Weathers seemed like good bets to get on the roster, giving Boone a righty and a southpaw who can give multiple innings. But with Weathers' injury, he seems out of the running to make the roster until the ALDS. If Weathers were healthy enough, I'd replace Yarbrough or Hill with him.
That gives Rodon a chance to fill Weathers' role alongside Warren. Clarke Schmidt would also have been on the roster if he didn't recently land on the IL.
Lagrange is another interesting name. The flamethrower could be called up this weekend to give him some run before the postseason. The Yankees optioned Luis Gil following Thursday's win, so an arm will have to replace him. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake told the media recently that the organization has had "a lot of talks" about promoting Lagrange.
That's good enough for me, and I could be going out on a limb, but Lagrange's stuff is too good to not see what he's got.
Aug 21, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Spencer Jones (78) celebrates his two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays with center fielder Trent Grisham (12) during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Outfielders (4)
Cody Bellinger Spencer Jones Trent Grisham Heliot Ramos
Infielders (9)
Ben Rice: 1B/DH Paul Goldschmidt: 1B Luis Garcia, Jr.: 1B Austin Wells: C Ali Sanchez: C Jazz Chisholm, Jr.: 2B George Lombard, Jr.: SS Anthony Volpe: 2B/SS Ryan McMahon: 3B
Utility (1)
Jose Caballero: 3B/2B/SS/OF
Let's get the obvious omission out of the way.
I don't believe Aaron Judge will be on the roster, nor should he. Simply, I don't trust him playing in the outfield right now, and if he has to DH, that clogs up first base and the DH spots. It's also not like he was mashing the ball when he returned from his rib injury (4-for-23 with 13 strikeouts, one walk, and one home run).
Let Judge rest up, and hopefully he's well enough to play the outfield in the ALDS should New York advance.
I feel the same about Giancarlo Stanton. He clogs up the DH/1B spot and would only be useful in a pinch-hit opportunity. That leaves Ramos, Jones, Bellinger, and a returning Grisham to man the outfield. Caballero can also play out there in a pinch.
As for the infield, Amed Rosario is the odd man out. He's redundant with McMahon and Caballero able to play third base. And Volpe learning the position gives the Yankees another right-handed option.
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 10: Martín Pérez #33 of the Atlanta Braves looks on during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Martin Perez came from pretty much out of nowhere, including his own DFA earlier in the season, to chip in handily for the Braves. While he was more fortunate-and-or-availing-himself-of-the-defense than good (73 ERA- but a 104 FIP- and a 107 xFIP-), the Braves weren’t exactly awash in non-Chris Sale effective starters for much of the season, so Perez was far more helpful than not.
Given that, he was probably in the mix for serious innings consideration in any non-Sale, non-Tyler Mahle postseason game… until he hit the shelf with back tightness that hasn’t responded to treatment. The prognosis is unclear, as the earliest he could return would be NLDS Game 3, though there have been suggestions that this is really more of a NLCS-if-we-get-there situation.
Will the Braves miss Perez? That’s the question, I guess. I’m not sure they will, for two reasons.
First, the initial playoff around is a three-game set. There’s a 50 percent-ish chance that it gets settled in two games (the Sale and Mahle games) either way.
Next, the Braves have so many long men that unless you figure Perez was going to be left out for a traditional start, I’m not sure his pitching can’t just be replicated by guys the Braves likely wouldn’t use in the first two games except in a blowout situation anyway. Remember the 73/104/107 line? Well, Brent Suter has an 84/88/86 line on the season and a 44/84/90 line as a Brave. He routinely throws two-plus innings, and has done a fair bit of three-inning outings as well. Ray Kerr’s sample this season is tiny, but his line is 42/95/91 returning from Tommy John Surgery, and he has a 110/106/91 career line. In eight outings, he’s thrown at least three innings three different times. Some combination of Suter and Kerr might be even better than Perez, with the flexibility of inserting a righty in between them if needed.
Where the Braves could miss Perez is if they go Johnny Wholestaff in Game 3 and come out victorious. That might mean eating a loss, or at least an unfortunate pitching situation in the very next game they play… and without Perez, they might need to resort to JR Ritchie or something just to get through that one. But, those chances don’t seem very high compared to all the other outcomes that could happen.
So, with that — how ominously does his injury loom in your mind?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 14: Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers before the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Friday, everyone. We’re heading into the final Tigers’ series of the season, and as devastating as it is to be done in September, we have the final bow of Justin Verlander to look forward to this weekend. It’s sure to be an emotional outing at the park (which we can only call Comerica a little bit longer), so hopefully if you have the opportunity, you’ll get out and enjoy the final few games we have left this year. Meanwhile, division rivals the White Sox have clinched the Central, which is a pretty wild feat if you consider how terrible they were the past two years, so you almost have to give them props for the bounceback. (Wouldn’t it be nice?)
We’ve got lots of fun stuff to watch if you’re at the office and don’t want to think about anything but baseball, including podcast episodes featuring Max Clark and Justin Verlander, so plenty to occupy you heading into the weekend, when we’ll be celebrating all things JV.
So let’s get right into it.
Detroit Tigers News
In case you missed this bit of delightful news yesterday.
The voices of Tigers baseball on television and radio for years to come!
The Tigers today announced multi-year contract extensions with Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson. pic.twitter.com/i4ZnVD0sKL
Other teams such as the Tigers, Mets and Blue Jays are among the MLB organizations that actively scouted Shoki Oda and other prospects at the U18 Asian Baseball Championship, joining the Dodgers, Phillies, Giants and Yankees, among others.
If you want to get deep with Justin Verlander before his final game this weekend, he joined Mookie Betts for a one-hour podcast chat that’s available on YouTube.
MLB News
It’s hard not to like this guy.
"I AM JAPANESE!"
Munetaka Murakami is LOVING his first locker room celebration with the White Sox. 😭 pic.twitter.com/FsTVeqvE4J
And on the note of the White Sox, I think this fact would be really incredible if they weren’t the division rivals of the Tigers.
An interesting discussion starter…
I think the Marlins turning bullpen days into relief outings for SPs is a bet that after considering objective workload variables, injuries are either a) inevitable and/or b) random.
Good bet? I have no idea. But their thinking and application is electric. https://t.co/RfMFy5SrzT
Did anything of note happen at Wrigley Field on Thursday afternoon? On a day that looked absolutely beautiful and at a generally pleasant time of the year to be at the Friendly Confines, I hope a few of you were there for this one. For anyone who was, I’m genuinely jealous. I’ve spent many days and many nights in that park and have almost universally loved my time there. I’ll forever miss it.
It started with Pete Crow-Armstrong walking and stealing second to reach the 45/40 plateau. A season that is truly for the ages. So many words have been said about his season that anything I can come up with will be repetitive. But, I tip my hat to the youngster. His stardom was apparent quickly upon taking the field for the first time in the Cubs organization and with each stop, seemingly each passing month, that star has burned brighter and brighter. The friendship and bond that has developed between PCA and Seiya Suzuki has been terrific. So it is no surprise that Seiya found himself musing that he believed that Pete is capable of 50/50. No pressure, kid. That would be an incredible encore.
Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that Seiya hit a homer on Pete’s big day. It was the homer the Cubs needed. For those who weren’t watching the Marquee broadcast, you missed an uncanny statistic. I believe the stat was starting from August 1. The Cubs are 0-13 when they fail to homer. With Thursday’s win, they are 26-13 when they do. That’s an incredible number. They got the long ball and finally the pitching staff got the memo. That is, clearly the Cubs were good for two runs per game this weekend. They scored exactly two and no more in all three games. Matthew Boyd got the message and held the Marlins to one and two relievers made it hold up.
It’s the Marlins and not any of the five other NL teams that will eventually be in the playoffs, but it’s not nothing that over 27 regulation innings in this series, the Cub pitching staff held the Marlins to five total runs. You could spend the next week whining about what the Cubs aren’t. Or, you can imagine what this team is technically capable of and just enjoy the ride.
It wasn’t just Seiya behind the offense, though. And it wasn’t just a big day for Pete. There was definitely a feeling that Ian Happ was playing his last regular season home game as a Cub. I get that there is a significant longevity difference between Happ and Suzuki, but it was hard not to have the impression that it was Ian’s last game at home for the Cubs, but not for Seiya. Maybe I’m reading too much into something that wasn’t there. Ian is the longest-tenured Chicago athlete right now and received his due respect from the Wrigley faithful. Hat tip to Ian for the leadoff triple in the sixth inning that led to the decisive run. Nico Hoerner came up with the key hit to get him home and then Boyd, Daniel Palencia and Ryan Zeferjahn held it down.
What if, bear with me, Zeferjahn is good? You don’t have to squint a lot to see it. Now would be as good a time as ever for that to be true. Further, his team control stretches beyond this year and with no significant change to the free agency system could belong to the Cubs through the end of the decade. The stuff definitely can play. The only question is if he ever puts it all together. All the skills are there. It’s only a matter if he can find the sequencing and learn the skills of a leverage reliever, particularly the skills of a leverage reliever in a media crucible like Chicago.
For that matter, Daniel Palencia could also be with the Cubs through the end of the decade. With all of the Jed Hoyer can’t build a bullpen and the Cubs can’t develop relievers memes, it’s possible that he traded for both with the Cubs finishing the development on Palencia after obtaining him. Maybe not. Maybe one or neither never get there. But they could. The Cubs just might have two dynamic relievers in house. The conversation about development of pitchers can be one where people move the goal posts. How much involvement entails development? Palencia played six games total, 14.1 innings outside of the Cub organization. Did they not theoretically develop him?
Anyway, that’s an argument for another day. But I’m happy to devil’s advocate on behalf of the Cub organization. They are definitely not a top tier draft and development organization. But it’s disingenuous to say they are a bottom tier one either. There are definitely misses, but there are a lot of hits too. There are less home runs than you’d like. I won’t argue with that. But there are plenty of hits in draft and development too.
I was happy to see the team pop some corks. It’s a good experience for the team. It was so apropos that Craig Counsell took only a short amount of time to address the team in the locker room after the game. And he called out one group in the organization. It was the training staff. Talk about a group that had to work overtime this year and surely lost a lot of sleep at times.
On to Boston. Let’s look at the numbers.
Three Positives:
Boyd. Seven innings, one run. The hero the team needed. He started Opening Day and then he was the guy on the hill when they clinched a postseason appearance for a second straight year since he got here.
Seiya Suzuki seemed to have let some of the stress out of the park with his game tying homer.
Ian Happ with a triple leading off the sixth, leading to the second run.
Hat tips to Nico Hoerner, Daniel Palencia and Ryan Zeferjahn.
Game 159, September 24: Cubs 2, Marlins 1 (88-71)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Matthew Boyd (.318). 7 IP, 27 BF, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 R, 3 K (W 10-5)
WPA Play of the Game: Seiya Suzuki’s solo homer with one out in the fifth inning tied the game. (.163)
Marlins Play of the Game: Jacob Marsee singled with two outs and a runner on second in the third inning, giving the Marlins an early 1-0 lead. (.120)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 158 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 23 of 43 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
Alex Bregman +26
Pete Crow-Armstrong +25.5
Shōta Imanaga +15
Ben Brown +13.5
Michael Conforto +12
Jameson Taillon -13
Dansby Swanson -15
Nico Hoerner -16
Caleb Thielbar -17.5
Seiya Suzuki -18
Scoreboard Watching: The Phillies lost. They are now a game behind the Cubs and the Cubs own the tie breaker. That puts the Cub magic number at 2 as to the Phillies. The Padres were playing late as I was writing. They were up 4-0. It looks like they’ll remain one ahead of the Cubs (with the Cubs still owning the tie breaker). That puts the Cub magic number at 4 as to the Padres. The Phillies have kept the Diamondbacks alive with their late struggles. The Diamondbacks are just two back of the Phillies.
Up Next: Phillies host the Rays who have locked up home field advantage through the AL playoffs. The Padres host those Diamondbacks who are trying to crash the party. That’s going to be a wild weekend. The Cubs travel to Boston where the Red Sox are already locked in as Wild Card two in the AL and will visit their old pals from New York for a best of three Wild Card series. Just for fun, the Cubs get to play a double header on Friday. If Google hasn’t misled me, 70% of doubleheaders in 2026 resulted in splits. I was surprised to see that historical data shows sweeps happen about as often as splits with the data bouncing around year to year. Sweeps have a slight historical edge.
We check back with Fangraphs. They have the teams splitting two close ones. Clay Holmes (6-8, 3.25) starts the first game. Clay is 0-2 with a 9.39 ERA in three September starts. The Cubs gave him a full week off before making this start. He was 2-2 with a 1.55 ERA in five August starts. We need August Holmes back. He didn’t face the Red Sox this year. David Peterson (9-8, 4.96) starts game two. David is 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA this month (4 starts) and was 1-0 with a 2.83 ERA in August (5 starts, one relief appearance). As I said the last time, Peterson a a Cub has either been excellent or terrible with nothing between really.
MLB.com is only listing one of the two Red Sox starters. That is Brayan Bello (6-7, 4.49). He’s made 25 appearances for the Sox, 10 of them starts. Last time out, he allowed one run to the Rays over eight innings. He’s been terrific in two September starts (1 run in 13 innings). He did have a relief outing where he allowed four runs in three innings of work. He’s bounced in and out of their rotation all year and he’s done well with it. It appears that Alec Gamboa is likely to start the other game. Gamboa is 1.0 with a 1.16 ERA over 31 innings. He’s made two starts in 20 appearances. His longest outing of the year is just four innings and he’s topped out at 63 pitches and that was back in July. He’s not thrown even 30 pitches this month. So this is a true opener, albeit a fairly dominant one.
The Cubs will not see the front end of the Red Sox rotation. It’s very likely they won’t see anyone with any kind of nagging injuries. I wouldn’t imagine they’ll put any of their relievers into particularly strenuous positions, though most of them will probably work at least a little to stay on rotation. Prepare for a weird weekend and both teams griping about the decision making.
Hopefully, the Cubs can find some wins in all of this.
